This story is for PennLady, a supportive fan who has a crush on a certain Russian hockey player, who shall remain nameless... except that he's the star of the story!
Just like my other "Ice" stories, I am not naming actual names. I'll also restate that I don't have any idea what these guys are like in real life and I'm merely a hockey FAN, not a know-it-all stats guru. I also know absolutely no Russian. The words that appear below are courtesy of PennLady, but there was no way I was about to write entire conversations (either internal or external) in Russian.
As always, happy reading!
M. ;)
***
His game didn't start to suffer immediately following the break-up. It happened very gradually; a few extra penalties here, a missed shot there. The rest of the team, if they noticed, didn't say anything to him about it. They just carried on as usual, skating their best and trying to win games. Eventually, Anatoli's on-ice antics began to cost them victories, and he knew it.
When Coach pulled him aside to talk to him about it, he hung his head, feeling terrible for causing his team grief.
"I know it can be hard to focus on the game, Anatoli," his coach said. "But you've got to try to put her behind you now."
"I'll try," he said, his accent coming out thicker in his distress.
"You know, there's a winter break is coming up. Maybe you should think about going home for a bit, be with your family."
Anatoli nodded mutely, feeling inexplicably tired and worn down all of a sudden. Traveling home to Moscow would tax him physically but maybe it would be a good trip for him, as Coach suggested. Coach dismissed him and Anatoli headed off to the locker room for a shower. As he lathered up his hair, he tried to keep his mind off of her but he just couldn't. They'd been so in love, or so
he'd
thought. Instead, she'd ripped his heart out a month ago, telling him that he just wasn't right for her.
How can I not be right for her?
he wondered, tipping his head back and letting the water rinse through his hair.
She'd definitely been perfect for him. A hockey fan, funny, good-natured, and gorgeous. He admitted that it wasn't ideal with him spending most of his year in America playing for the NHL, while she was working back in Russia. She'd known that about him when they met. For her to throw it back in his face as a reason to not be together, it hurt him very much.
"I don't understand why you'd rather spend more time playing a game than being with me," had been her parting remark.
He'd been stung, to say the least. As a few days had passed and he'd had some time to process it, he felt even more like a failure than when she'd first ended it. That's when his game had started to take the hit. Maybe it was his subconscious way of making amends for not being there as she'd accused him. He shook his head at the thought, sending warm droplets of water everywhere.
It didn't matter now. What mattered was getting his head back in the game before he was permanently sent home.
***
Lena Jamieson was beside herself with excitement as she went to catch the plane to Moscow. This was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and she had her great aunt Agnes to thank for it. Tired of listening to her youngest niece go on and on about the culture and architecture, Agnes had given her a plane ticket.
"Go on and go, already, Lena," the elderly woman had ordered and then cackled wickedly. "Enjoy the weather!"
The flight left on December twenty-third.
Lena hadn't been too thrilled about missing Christmas with her family, but she also knew this was the chance of a lifetime. The ticket must have cost her aunt a fortune and there was no way she could turn it down.
So the 23rd rolled around and she dragged her ass down to Dulles International Airport around the dinner hour. She wandered through the bustling airport and tried not to let melancholy take over as she observed families traveling together, or reuniting. Stopping at a concession stand, she bought several trashy magazines and some chocolate bars before heading for her departure gate.
If she couldn't be with her parents and sisters for the holiday, she would channel their spirits with celebrity gossip and fattening treats.
"I'm on vacation," she told herself firmly as she took a seat in the waiting area surrounding her gate. Then she blushed when she realized several people were looking her way.
She settled herself in the seat and tried to relax. She was so excited about this trip. It was the first time she'd be traveling on her own. Aunt Agnes had arranged for her to stay with a family she knew in Moscow, so Lena at least wouldn't be a young woman traveling abroad, alone. Apparently the family was well known, and they were genuinely looking forward to having a guest, even over the holidays. Although, it wasn't technically their Christmas time; Russian Orthodox calendar put Christmas sometime in early January. The family would make sure to take her to see the sights and ensure her safety.
Even the lingering memory of her boyfriend dumping her three weeks ago wasn't enough to dampen Lena's mood.
She scowled as she flipped through a newspaper that someone had left on the seat beside her. Thoughts of Eddy usually led her to this state and she hated him even more for it.
What does he even see in Tracy?
she wondered, flipping a page of the newspaper so hard that it tore. Flushing, Lena kept her face down as she felt more curious stares turn her way.
After another hour, she began to grow restless. She set the paper down and stretched her legs out in front of her while lifting her arms over her head. Glancing around, she watched a few of the other people nearby. There was an elderly couple near the gate counter and a young family next to them. A few single travelers and some other couples of varying ages. Her eyes drifted across the faces until she saw the man sitting directly across from her.
He was quietly reading a book and she could see with another glance that it was a Russian novel. His frame was too large for the seat but he managed to keep himself from crowding those on either side of him. He had broad shoulders and long legs that he held crossed in front of him at the ankles. His brown hair was shaggy and un-styled; or maybe he was just one of those guys who went for the unkempt look. His eyelashes were uncommonly long and dark, and she found herself wishing he'd look up so she could see the color of his eyes.
Even as the thought crossed her mind, his face lifted and his eyes met hers. God help her, his eyes were a startling crystalline blue.
Her heart leapt within her chest and she felt a flush creep over her face. She looked away, hoping he didn't think she'd been staring, which she clearly had been. She heard a deep chuckle and felt her blush practically scalding her cheeks.
Thankfully the airline employee behind the gate counter picked up the microphone and announced that boarding would begin shortly. Lena lifted her bag into her lap and fished around until she found her passport and boarding pass. A few minutes later they announced boarding for those requiring assistance and Lena cheated, getting up and all but running away from the man sitting across from her; the man she was pretty sure was still laughing at her.
***
Her luck didn't hold.
Barely twenty minutes after she'd settled herself in her seat, a tall, broad shadow fell across the row and she glanced up to see the handsome stranger from the waiting area. Her face turned instantly pink and she looked away, praying that he wasn't sitting next to her. The plane had two seats along each side, plus a section of four seats in the middle. Against her wishes, the handsome stranger with the messy brown hair and piercing blue eyes sat down next to her.
"These seats are kind of small, huh?" he said to her, his Russian accent apparent.
